24 big events coming to the Jacksonville area in '24: Circus, air show, Players, Concours
There's a new year on the horizon, but plenty of it will seem familiar thanks to many of Jacksonville's favorite events making a return in 2024. A biggie will be the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus coming back after a six-year hiatus, this time with no animals in the show.
The region's big signature events are already on the books, and you can buy tickets to many of them already. No year would be complete in these parts without the Players Championship, the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, Springing the Blues, the Fernandina Beach shrimp festival and the NAS Jax Air Show, so mark your calendars and start making plans. It's going to be a busy one.
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FSCJ Artists Series
Various dates at Moran Theater and Wilson Center
It’s the 57th year that the Artists Series has been bringing big-time productions to Jacksonville. They have 16 shows remaining on this season’s schedule (and a new season begins in the fall). You can see touring Broadway shows (“Hadestown,” “Six,” “Frozen”) musical tributes (“The Cher Show,” “Tina,” “Direct from Sweden: The Music of ABBA”), concerts (David Foster and Katherine McPhee) ballet or kids’ shows. Info: fscjartistseries.org
Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast
Jan. 12 at the Prime Osborn Convention Center. $40-$50.
After years of division, the city and the Jacksonville branch of the NAACP will come together as one to break bread in Dr. King’s honor. There is also a student essay contest and a week of service tied to the event. “Love and Light, Strength Through Unity” will be the theme. Info: jaxmlkbreakfast.com
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Jan. 19-21 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. $20-$100.
It’s been six years since the Greatest Show on Earth has rolled into town, and it’s a different show these days. Gone are all of the animal acts, replaced by 75 human performers from 18 countries. And good news for coulrophobes – they've also done away with face-painted clowns. The circus will be in town for six performances. Info: vystararena.com
DONNA Marathon
Feb. 4 at the Beaches. $125.
The annual marathon to raise money for the fight against breast cancer got a little complicated when Donna Deagan, who started the whole thing, was elected mayor of Jacksonville. The mostly flat course starts and finishes at Seawalk Pavilion. Info: breastcancermarathon.com
Fort Mose Jazz & Blues Series
Feb. 8-17 at Fort Mose Historic State Park, St. Augustine. Prices vary.
This is the second year for the music series, which celebrates Black History Month with a series of concerts at the site of what is considered to be the first legally sanctioned community for free Blacks in what is now the United States. This year’s series includes shows by Common on Feb. 8 ($55-$102), the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on Feb. 9 ($42-$62), the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on Feb. 10 ($82-$92), Christone “Kingfish” Ingram on Feb. 16 ($52-$72) and Keb’ Mo’ on Feb. 17 ($45-$62). Info: discoverfortmose.com
Untold Stories
Feb. 15, May 30 and July 11 at the Florida Theatre. $25-$35.
There are some great storytellers living in Jacksonville and this series directed by “transformational story coach” Barbara Colaciello, brings together people from all walks of life to share tales of the city. This year’s series has seasonal themes — “Winter” in February, “Spring” in May and, you guessed it, “Summer” in July. Info: floridatheatre.com
Northeast Florida Scottish Games and Festival
Feb. 24 at the Clay County Fairgrounds. $15-$50.
This part of the state isn’t particularly known for its large Scottish population, but this festival has caught on. There are Scottish clans and bagpipes and food, but the big draw is the games, where men in kilts throw caber poles and toss heavy stuff as high as they can. Fans can get a double-dip in 2024 when the Scottish Athletic Masters World Championship comes to the same venue Oct. 4-6. Info: neflgames.com
World of Nations Celebration
Feb. 24-25 at Tailgaters Parking
Twenty-six nations will be represented at the festival, which celebrates cultures from around the world. You’ll find lots of good food, exotic costumes and interesting music and dance performances, plus the kids might learn a thing or two. Info: specialevents.coj.net
Gate River Run
March 2, starting at the Jacksonville Sports Complex
Thousands of runners will take part in the largest 15-kilometer race in the U.S., winding their way from the stadium/arena/ballpark area, through downtown and San Marco before finishing with the Hart Bridge, aka “the green monster.” There’s also a 5K charity run, Junior River Run and diaper dash race, plus a runner’s expo in the days leading up to the race. Info: gateriverrun15k.com
Amelia Concours d’Elegance
March 3 at the Golf Club of Amelia Island. $125-$250.
Think of the Concours as more of an art show than a car show. More than 250 of the finest automobiles in the world will be on display, in 35 classes, on Sunday, the end of four days of auctions, parties, movies, ride & drive events and killer cars. Info: ameliaconcours.com
Monster Jam
March 9 at EverBank Stadium. $20-$95.50.
Grave Digger, Max-D, El Toro Loco and the gang will be back for one of the loudest events of the year, jumping and smashing and rolling to the cheers of a massive crowd. Here’s a tip for beginners: Bring earplugs and buy upper-deck seats, where you have a view of all of the action. Info: monsterjam.com
The Players Championship
March 12-17 at TPC Sawgrass. $30-$99.
They haven’t announced the field for the tournament yet, but it’s safe to assume you’ve heard of a few of the players who will be competing for the largest purse in golf. Cole Swindell will headline the Military Appreciation Concert, held after Tuesday’s practice rounds. Info: theplayers.com
Suwannee Spring Reunion
March 21-24 at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park, Live Oak. $175.
Spring Reunion is the first of several big music festivals planned for the wooded venue near where I-10 and I-75 meet and fans can camp out in the woods. This one has Americana acts such as Sam Bush, Railroad Earth and Jim Lauderdale. Other festivals include Resonate Suwannee on April 4-6 for jam-band fans, the country-flavored Suwannee River Jam in April, Rendezvous on May 3-5 for electronic music fans, and Suwannee Roots Revival and Hulaween in October. Info: musicliveshere.com
Disney on Ice: Find Your Hero
March 29-31 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. $20-$100.
Characters from “Encanto,” “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Moana,” “Tangled” and other Disney hits take to the ice for six shows. A pre-show “character experience” with Moana is available for an additional fee. Info: disneyonice.com
Jax River Jams
April 4, 11, 18 and 25 at Ford on Bay. Free.
Plans are afoot to bring back the series of free after-work concerts that drew big crowds to Riverfront Plaza on Thursdays for the last two Aprils. No acts have been announced yet, but organizers are planning to relocate the shows down the street, to Ford on Bay, the open space near the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront. Info: dtjax.com
Springing the Blues
April 5-7 at Seawalk Pavilion, Jacksonville Beach. Free.
Give the Springing the Blues folks credit for knowing math. The free beachside blues fest started in 1990 but took two years off due to Covid, so they’re correctly advertising this as the 32nd annual fest. Joanne Shaw Taylor and Tab Benoit top the bill. The venue also hosts the Community First Seawalk Music Festival, which brings in Red Jumpsuit Apparatus in February. Info: springingtheblues.com
Gamble Rogers Music Festival
April 12-14 at the St. Johns County Fairgrounds, Elkton. $35-$120.
The famed Florida troubadour who drowned while saving a swimmer in Flagler Beach lives on in the annual festival. This year, it’s bringing in A.J. Lee & Blue Summit, Verlon Thompson, the John Jorgensen Quintet and others for three days of music and on-site camping. Info: gamblerogersfest.org
‘Carmen’
April 12 and 14 at Jacoby Symphony Hall. $37-$132.
There have been hip-hop versions of George Bizet’s classic tale. It’s been done on ice, in silent films and set in Hong Kong. The Jacksonville Symphony will play it straight, presenting the tale of love, betrayal and murder with guest performers and a stage designed by the guest stage director at the Metropolitan Opera. Info: jaxsymphony.org
Clay County Agricultural Fair
April 4-14 at the Clay County Fairgrounds. $15 fair admission, concerts require additional ticket.
They’re not messing around at the fairgrounds west of Green Cove Springs when it comes to musical entertainment. At a time when some fairs are cutting back on big names, Clay is bringing in Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, Tyler Farr, Diamond Rio, Martina McBride, For King and Country, Bret Michaels and the Oak Ridge Boys. Other area fairs include the Northeast Florida Fair in Callahan and the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair, both in the fall. Info: claycountyfair.org
Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival
May 3-5 in downtown Fernandina Beach. Free.
To celebrate a tiny but tasty crustacean, Fernandina Beach throws a giant festival every year. You’ll find parades, antiques, crafts, decorated shrimp boats, live music and contests to find the best beard, best pirate and fastest ice cream eater. Oh, and they have shrimp, lots and lots of shrimp. Info: shrimpfestival.com
Jacksonville Jazz Festival
Aug. 30-Sept. 1 in Jacksonville. Free.
We don’t really know much about the 2024 jazz festival, other than it is traditionally held over the Memorial Day weekend in downtown Jacksonville and has a lot of big-name performers. There has been speculation that this year’s festival may need to be relocated if construction is underway at Riverfront Plaza. Info: jacksonvillejazzfest.com
NAS Jax Air Show
Oct. 19-20 at NAS Jacksonville. Free.
The big autumn air show alternates between the Beaches and the air station, and it’s the Navy’s turn to host this year. The Blue Angels are already confirmed for the show. Info: nasjaxairshow.com
Georgia-Florida game
Nov. 2 at EverBank Stadium.
The Bulldogs are the home team in even-numbered years, so it’s “Georgia-Florida” in 2024. Expect RVs, rabid fans, pep rallies, big events and national TV coverage. Info: flagajax.com
Porchfest
Nov. 9 in Springfield
The annual festival that sees local and touring musicians playing free shows on the historic porches of the neighborhood just north of downtown Jacksonville has big plans for 2024, its tenth anniversary. Details are a little sparse at this point, but organizers say they plan to return the festival to Klutho Park for its anniversary. Porchfest was originally scheduled for Nov. 2 but was moved back a week. Info: jacksonvilleporchfest.org
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville events: 24 fun things to do in 2024
